STSM

7th CALL for

STSM Applications for missions occurring between

October 15th 2017 and January 31st 2018

COST Action TU1305 “Social Networks and Travel Behaviour” is under the COST intergovernmental framework for European Cooperation in Science and Technology, which allows the coordination of nationally-funded research on a European level.

The specific aim of the Action is to initiate a new collaboration framework for the various European research groups in urban transport and urban networks including sociology, transport research, urban planning, architecture, geography and Information Technology (IT) science to develop a new transport paradigm based on ICT social networks and their subsequent travel behavior.

For more information about the Action, please visit the Action’s website: www.tu1305.eu.

COST Action TU1305 invites applications for:

Short Term Scientific Mission (STSM) aiming at supporting individual mobility and at strengthening the existing networks and fostering collaborations by allowing scientists to visit an institution or laboratory in another Participating COST Country or an approved NNC (Near Neighbour Countries)institution or an approved IPC (International Partners Countries)institution. For more information about the eligible host countries, please refer to COST vademecum (http://www.cost.eu/participate)

STSM applicants must be engaged in a research programme as a PhD student or postdoctoral fellow, or be employed by or officially affiliated to an institution or legal entity, which has within its remit a clear association with performing research.

Early Career Investigators (ECI) are specifically encouraged. An applicant can be considered as being an “Early Career Investigator" when the time that has elapsed between the award date of the applicants PhD and the date of the applicants first involvement in the COST Action TU1305 does not exceed 8 years. PhD students are also eligible to take part in STSM.

Duration and financial support

STSM can have duration of between 5 days and 90 days. The STSM period is between October 15th 2017 and January 31st 2018. Extended STSM, up to 180 days, may be granted if the applicant is an ECI.

The following funding conditions apply:

1.For accommodation and meal expenses, a maximum amount of EUR 160 per day can be considered.

2.A grantee can be afforded up to a maximum of EUR 2,000, for up to 90 days, and EUR 3,500, for up to 180 days, if the applicant is anECI.

3.STSM activities must occur in their entirety within the dates specified in this call.

4.Specific provisions have been made to encourage the application submission by researchers from ITC countries . STSM applicants with an affiliation in an institution in an ITC country can request a pre-payment of 50% of grant. This is payable under 2 conditions: that the GH has sufficient funds to cover 50% of the grant in advance and that the host confirms to the GH that the mission has started.

Financial support is a contribution limited to cover travel and subsistence expenses and is paid as a grant. It is a contribution to the overall expenses incurred during the STSM and may not necessarily cover all of the associated outgoings.

How to apply

The applications are to be submitted no later than September 25th 2017.

1.All applicants must carefully read the funding rules detailed in section 6 of the COST Vademecum Chapter 7 Short Term Scientific Mission (pages28-29). This document is available at: http://www.cost.eu/participate

2. All applicants must register for an e-COST profile at https://e-services.cost.eu/ - adding their bank account details to their profile.

3.All applicants must obtain a letter of invitation from the Host institution confirming that they can undertake the STSM on the given dates prior to submitting an application.

5.All applicants must send the relevant supporting documents to the STSM coordinator Prof. Eftihia Nathanail in: enath@uth.gr with a copy to the Administrative coordinator of the Action Ms. Smadar Amir smadaram@tx.technion.ac.il for evaluation before the application submission deadline expires.

6.Required application documents (in pdf files):

Invitation letter from a senior Researcher affiliated to the host institution;

A full CV (including a list of academic publications – if applicable);

7.The applications will be then assessed by the STSM committee against the perceived contribution that the proposed visit will make and against the scientific objectives outlined in the Action Memorandum of Understanding (MoU).

(Please note that COST can request additional information to substantiate the information contained within the documents submitted by STSM applicants).

8.Evaluation results will be communicated to the applicants in two weeks after the application submission deadline by the STSM coordinator Prof. Eftihia Nathanail.

COST Action reserves the right for justified reasons to leave the position open, to extend the application period and to consider candidates who have not submitted applications during the application period.

Failure to submit the scientific report within 30 days from the end date of the STSM will effectively cancel the grant.

The applicant is also responsible for acquiring an official acceptance letter / Email confirmation of acceptance from a senior Researcher affiliated to the Host institution formally accepting the scientific report. This formal acceptance of the scientific report has to be sent to the Grant Holder and the STSM coordinator Prof. Eftihia Nathanail in: enath@uth.gr for archiving purposes.